Power-transmitter.



PATENTED MAYIS, 1904.

G. M. EAMES. POWER TRANSMITTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

N0 MODEL.

INVENTOR:

, ATTORNEY 1m: worms in:

WITNESSES UNITED STATES Patented May 3, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. EAMES, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WHEELER &WILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGE- IORT, CONNECTICUT, ACORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

POWER-TRANSMITTER SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.759,166, dated May 3, 1904.

Application filed Septemb r 25, 1903. Serial No. 174,648. (No model.)

To. all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. EAMES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairh'eld and State ofConnecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inPower-Transmitters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the operator ofa power-driven machine may temporarily suspend'the operation of themachine without affecting the operation of the source of power and mayalso control the speed of the machine and may also suspend the operationof the source of power at will.

To illustrate one application of the invention, reference is made tothose sewing-machines which are supplied with individual electricmotors. It is obviously desirable to economize the electric current whenit is furnished by meter. If the current be cut off andthe motor stoppedon every occasion when it is desired to stop the sewing-machine even fora very short time, it is obvious that there is a wear and tear on theapparatus that is hardly offset by the economy of current. On the otherhand, it is equally obvious that if the operation of the sewing-machineis to be suspended for any considerable period without stopping themotor there is a considerable waste of current. Obviously, it isdesirable to provide means whereby the sewing-machine may be stoppedtemporarily without atliecting the motor and the speed be readilycontrolled and the motor stopped whenever the operation of thesewing-machine is suspended designedly or through inattention for anyconsiderable period.

The present invention embodies the combination of a motor, atransmitting device, and a controlling mechanism whereby the motor maybe started and the operation of the trans mitting device controlledindependently of the motor so as to suspend the operation of thetransmitting device while the motor is still running and also wherebyboth the transmitting device and the motor may be stopped.

Without thereby limiting the invention it is herein shown as applied toa sewing-machine stand for drivingasewing-machine, and it comprises anelectric motor operatively connected with a transmitting device fromwhich power is transmitted to the sewing-machine, and the motor isindependently connected with atreadle by which it may be started intooperation, and the treadle is independently connected with thetransmitting device, and such treadle has a compound movement wherebythe transmitting device may be stopped and started at pleasureindependently of the motor and the motor stopped coincidently with thetransmitting device at the will of the operator.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, in the severalligures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is anelevation of a power-stand for a sewingmachine provided with thisimprovement, the table and the treadle being shown in cross section.substantially in. the plane of the line A B, Fig. 1, and looking down.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the treadle rock-shaft. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of a shipper-lever.

Describing the invention as shown in the drawings, 1 is the top of thetable or stand, supported by legs 2.

3 is a power-transmitter, which may be of any suitable or approvedconstruction, but in the preferred construction comprising a spindleehfast in one of the legs 2, upon which are journaled loose pulleys 5and 6.

7 is a friction-ring seated within an annular groove in the face of thepulley 5 and adapted to cooperate with the adjacent face of the pulley 6when said pulleys are pressed together, as will be presently explained.

8 is a socket formed in the leg 2 around the spindle 4, and 9 is asuitable ball-bearing within said race to receive the end thrust of thepulley 5 when the pulleys are pressed together, a suitable hardenedwasher 10 being interposed between the hub of said pulley 5 and theballs.

11 is a socket Formed in the outer side of Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection taken j the hub of the pulley 6 and having therein a suitableball bearing 12, against which is placed a hardened washer 13, uponwhich bears the inner end of a tubular cap 14, centered around thereduced end of the spindle 4 and having a closed rounded end adapted tobe engaged by the wedge-shaped end 16 of a shipper-lever 17, (see Fig.4,) tight on the outer end of a rock-shaft 18, (see Fig. 2,) journaledin the leg 2. Secured on the inner end of the rock-shaft 18 are levers19 and 20, the lever 19 being connected by a pitman-rod 21 with an arm22, extending from the treadle rock-shaft 23, while the lever dependsdownwardly and outwardly through the leg 2 and engages the periphery ofthe pulley 5 to act as a brake. Said lever 20 also has a finger 24,which is engaged by a spring 25, adapted to keep said brake leverpressed against the pulley 5.

The pulley 5 is connected with any suitable electric motor 26 by a belt27 and the pulley 6 is belted up to the sewing or other machine to bedriven (not shown) in any usual manner.

The treadle rock-shaft 23 is pivoted between the legs 2on pintles 28,secured to said legs, and has a pair of laterally-projecting arms 29,between which is pivoted at its heel end a treadle 30, said rock-shaftbeing offset, as shown at 31, to accommodate the independent action ofthe treadle on its pivots 32.

33 is a spring-pressed plunger mounted in a recess 34 in the offsetportion 31 of the treadle rock-shaft 23, by means of which the treadleis raised and upheld when the operators foot is removed. This treadlemechanism is herein referred to as the controller and may be replaced byothers of like capability.

35 is any suitable electrical switch, to the operating-lever 36 of whichis attached the upper end of a connecting-rod 37, the lower end of whichlatter is attached at 38 to the treadle 30 at a point approximately inline with the pivotal axis of the rock-shaft 23.

39 is a spring attached to the operating-lever 36 of the switch and ofsufiicient strength to effect the operation of breaking the electriccircuit upon the return of the'treadle 30 to normally elevated positionas the operators foot is removed therefrom. 7

40 is any suitably battery, the electrical connections from which arewired to the motor and switch in the usual manner, substantially asindicated in the drawings.

It will be observed that the treadle as thus constructed rocks upon twodifferent fulcrums, shifting alternately from one to the other, theinitial movement occurring with the pintles 32 as a center and thesucceeding movement taking place on the pivotal axis of the treadlerock-shaft 23. Depressions of the treadle 30 will cause the sameto swingon the center 32 until such movement is arrested by said treadleabutting against the ofliset portion 31 of the treadle rock-shaft23,whereupon both treadle and rock-shaft will be, in effect, lockedtogether, and further depression of thetreadle will then cause bothtreadle and rock-shaft to move in unison on the pivotal axis of thelatter, which will of course through the pitman connection 21 controlthe action of the transmitter.

The reason for attaching the lower endof the switch connecting rod 37 ata point approximately in line with the pivotal axis of the treadlerockshaft 23 is to minimize the vertical movement of said rod wheneverthe treadle is being tilted on the center of said rock-shaft, at whichtime the machine is in operation, so as not to disturb the position ofthe switch-operating lever 36.

The operation is as follows: As the operator assumes her position to usethe machine the instant her foot is placed upon the treadle the latterwill be depressed sufficiently to shift the operatinglever 36 of theelectric switch and close the circuit, thereby starting the motor, suchmovement, as previously pointed out, taking place on the pintles 32 as acenter. Further downward movement of the treadle will now bring intoaction the transmitter, which is not in the slightest affected by theinitial movement of the treadle, for the reason that the spring 25 ofthe transmitter is of greater power than the slight spring-pressedplunger 33, which upholds the treadle. When the treadle is released, itwill resume its raised position, and the spring 39 will cause theoperating-lever 36 of the switch to shift and break the circuit, therebyshutting off the electric current and preventing unnecessary waste.Simultaneous with starting of the motor the pulley 5 is caused torevolve, from which motion is transmitted to the pulley 6 by pressingthe latter against the pulley 5, and thence to the driven machinethroughthe usual belt connection. Forcing these pulleys together is effected bya downward draft on the pitman-rod 21, which causes the wedge-shaped end16 of the lever 17, through the rock-shaft 18 and lever 19, to shift thepulley 6 laterally on the spindle 4:, around which it revolves, andpress more or less tightly against the friction-ring 7, seated in theface of the pulley 5. Said pulleys being thus coupled together byfrictional contact only, the speed of the pulley 6 with respect tothepulley 5 will be in proportion to the pressure holding them together,which of course may be varied by the operator to cause more or lessslipping between the pulleys, and thereby vary the speed of the machineto' conform to the exigencies of the particular kind of work being done.The spring 25 aside from actuating the brake-lever 20 also serves toreturn these parts to normal position.

What I claim is 1. A power-transmitter,comprising a transmitter proper,an electric motor, connections ITO between the two, a treadle, andconnections thereof with the transmitter proper, in combination with anelectric switch, an electric circuit upon which it is placed, and meansfor making and breaking the circuit by operation of the treadle.

2. In a power-stand, a transmitter, an electric motor, connectionsbetween them, a treadle having suitable connection with saidtransmitter, and means, including an electric switch, for making theelectric circuit through said motor simultaneously with the depressionof the treadle and capable of effecting an independent control of themotor and transmitter, in combination with means for automaticallybreaking said circuit when said treadle is released.

3. In a power-stand, a transmitter, an electric motor, connectionsbetween them, a treadle, and connections between the treadle,transmitter and motor, for effecting the control of the transmitter and motorindependently, in combination with means for stopping the motor when thetreadle is released.

4. In a power-stand, a transmitter, anelectric motor, connectionsbetween them, a treadle rock-shaft, connections between said shaft andtransmitter, a treadle pivoted eccentrically upon said rock-shaft, andconnections, including an electric switch, between said treadle andmotor, whereby the said motor is stopped and started when said treadleis respectively depressed and released.

5. In a power-stand, atransmitter, an electric motor, connectionsbetween them, a treadle rockshaft having laterally projecting arms, atreadle pivoted at its heel end between said arms and adapted to receivean initial movement without rocking the rock shaft, and also to receivea further movement for rocking the rock-shaft, and connections betweensaid treadle and the motor adapted to be actuated by the initialmovement of the treadle.

6. In a power-stand, a transmitter, an electric motor, connectionsbetween them, an electric switch and an electriccircuit for supplyingpower to the motor, a treadle rock-shaft, connections between it and thetransmittr-zr, a treadle eccentrically pivoted to the rock-shaft, adepressible spring interposed between the treadle and the rock-sh aftwhereby said treadle may have an initial movement without effecting themovement of the roclcshaft, and a subsequent movement in conjunctionwith the rock-shaft, a connection between the treadle and the electricswitch operated by the initial movement of the treadle, and means foractuating the switch to stop the motor simultaneously with the releaseof the treadle.

7. In a power-stand, a transmitter, an electric motor, connectionsbetween them, an electric switch and an electric circuit for supplyingpower to the motor, a treadle rock-shaft, connections between it and thetransmitter, a treadle eccentrically pivoted to the rock-shaft, adepressible spring interposed between the treadle and the rock-shaftwhereby said treadle may have an initial movement without effecting themovement of the rock-shaft, and a subsequent movement in conjunctionwith the rock-shaft, a connection between the treadle and the electricswitch operated by the initial movement of the treadle, and a spring foractuating the switch to stop the motor simultaneously with the releaseof the treadle.

8. A power-transmitter, comprisinga m0- tor, a pair of loose pulleys,one of which is adapted to be connected with the motor, and

the other with the machine to be driven,means to connect said pulleys torun in unison, and. to admit of one running independently of the other,a controller, a connection between it and the motor for stopping andstarting said motor, and independent connections between said controllerand the pulleys, whereby one of said pulleys may be stopped while theother is running.

9. A powear-transmitter, comprising a motor, a pair of loose pulleys,one of which is adapted to be connected with the motor, and the otherwith the machine to be driven, means to connect said pulleys to run inunison, and to admit of one running independently of the other, acontroller, a connection between it and the motor for stopping andstarting said motor, and independent connections between said controllerand the pulleys, whereby one of said pulleys may be stopped while theother is running, and whereby the motor will be stopped when thecontroller is wholly released.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day ofSeptember, A. I).

GEORGE M. EAMES. Witnesses:

NEWTON 1-1. HoY'r, C. N. W on'rnnn.

